Vinny’s Blog

Well I can always talk about economy, travel and photography but every now and then there are things or exceptions that need to be addressed and today happens to be one of those days. Just as criticism is important for quality improvement appreciation is equally important for boosting moral and credit must be given when due….in case of India they have achieved a significant milestone for the country in the area of space exploration. Indian lunar project Chandrayaan has been very successful, I had been watching it’s progress and was holding my breath as space missions are very tricky. Slightest mistake could be fatal. It’s not a car in your garage where if something goes wrong you could just call a toll truck and get it fixed.

These are instruments millions of miles away in space……..out of anyone’s reach. So these space projects tend to draw huge attention and also tend to prove extreme engineering challenges. When missions are completed successfully they truly are achievements for any country not just for India.

Chandrayan’s success has proven that Indian space research organization or ISRO can execute space projects successfully. Congratulation ISRO……….you have made Indians proud all over the world their blessings are with you.

Here are few facts that Indians must know….I guess will only make them more proud.
It’s a fact that you don’t have to speak English with American ascent to be successful in space exploration. And that happens to be the case at NASA as well :).

36% of scientists at NASA are Indians: Govt survey
11 Mar 2008, 0004 hrs IST, Akshaya Mukul, TNN
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/36_of_scientists_at_Nasa_are_Indians_Govt_survey/articleshow/2853178.cms

Let us look at what India has done earlier this year….Whhhat ? they made a world record ?

India sets world record, launches 10 satellites at one go
28 Apr 2008, 1104 hrs IST, PTI
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/2989685.cms

Why stop at that………ISRO is also going to provide BETTER maps of India. BETTER than Google earth provides !!!

Moonshot fires vision of Indian Google Earth
By James Lamont in New Delhi
Published: November 14 2008 00:55 | Last updated: November 14 2008 00:55
After conquering the moon, Indian scientists have their eyes trained on Google Earth.
Only weeks after the blast-off of India’s first unmanned moon mission, the country’s space agency plans to launch its own equivalent of Google Earth, the virtual globe programme, using its satellite network to create a high resolution web-based mapping system. The service, covering only India, will be offered at no cost to web users..

Click here to read that article

Now read ahead what ISRO’s success has done…………seems that those Indian scientists finally have had enough at NASA and some want to head back home………….__:).
NASA scientists ring up ISRO, seek opportunities in ‘desi’ missions
Saturday, 25 October , 2008, 22:24
Last Updated: Saturday, 25 October , 2008, 22:36
Bangalore: Several NASA scientists — of Indian origin and foreigners alike — are knocking the door of Indian Space Research Organisation looking for opportunities to work in future ‘desi’ space missions following the success of Chandrayaan-1 launch, a senior ISRO official said today.
http://sify.com/news/fullstory.php?id=14784608

-Let me highlight some key fundamental differences for you………….
With the launch of Chandrayaan, India space scientists have sent several key messages.

Nair asserts three points. First is the meager ISRO annual budget of one billion dollars, compared to the 20 billion dollars of the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

Secondly, with this small budget, India is the only country to use hi-tech space research for development, with a combination of satellites for telecommunications, weather forecasting, crops and education. “Even western nations have recognised this,” he says. “We are sharply focused on our objectives and work in mission mode,” he says.

The third is that ISRO uses 80 percent of its budget for development-related missions and the remaining 15 percent for advanced research and missions such as Chandrayaan, Nair said.
( did you get it ? Read again Chandarayaan was developed from the 15% of the budget (left over), if NASA were to do this project they would have spent million more in dollars, I think this might be yet another outsourcing industry developing in India).

- Compared to other space-faring nations, the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO’s) missions are cost-effective. Chandrayaan cost ISRO 80 million US dollars, compared to Japan’s Selene mission’s 480 million dollars, or China’s Change-E1 mission that cost 187 million dollars. The European Space Agency (ESA’s Small Mission for Advanced Research in Technology (SMART-1) in 2003 cost 140 million dollars.

Ironically, it was the U.S. that once led the technology embargoes against ISRO, many of which are expected to be lifted, following the passing of the Indo-U.S. nuclear cooperation deal by the U.S. Senate this month.

While we are at the subject let us check other scientific achievements India had earlier this year.

Do you think Intel designs best chips ? Think again if it’s actually Intel ?
Landmark launch of Indian Intel chip
By Joe Leahy in Mumbai
Published: September 15 2008 22:30 | Last updated: September 15 2008 22:30
Intel is to launch the first microprocessor for the mass market that it has developed almost exclusively at its design center in Bangalore in a milestone for the research and development of computer hardware in India.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/2b537008-834c-11dd-907e-000077b07658,dwp_uuid=a6dfcf08-9c79-11da-8762-0000779e2340.html

The Indian who made the Big Bang test necessary
Wednesday, 10 September , 2008, 16:46
Last Updated: Wednesday, 10 September , 2008, 17:03
http://sify.com/news/fullstory.php?id=14755738

Big Bang test: India’s flag flies high at CERN
Wednesday, 10 September , 2008, 13:32
http://sify.com/news/fullstory.php?id=14755524

Tata makes 4th fastest computer in the world.

http://www.livemint.com/2008/04/24002327/Tata-out-to-prove-its-EKA-supe.html

Watch this video to know - what Chandrayan’s mission is all about it seems that so far no country has done it. Indians are the first to even attempt it.

What Indian Lunar mission is doing is not even done by Americans.

Here is a link to see pictures taken by ISRO’s Chandrayaan ( it’s a Sanskrit word means Vehical for Moon).

http://www.isro.org/pslv-c11/photos/moon_images.htm

To all Indians if these many achievements don’t not make you proud. I don’t know what would….best regards….please pass it on to your other Indian friends….